Machinist help (or anybody) please

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Monty

Group Buy Coordinator
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
8,587
Location
Pearland, Texas, USA.
Drilling a 7/64" hole in a piece of antler. Give you one guess what happened. The bit broke off about 1/4" in the hole. Any suggestions for getting the broken piece out would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Drill smaller hole from the other side and push bit out entry hole. If that isnt possible perhaps hemostats in the drill lands and twist backwards?
 
Is 7/64" the finish size for the hole? If not what size are you going to? If you are going bigger you may be able to use a trick to get out broken pieces of center drills that machinist use. I will try to explain after you answer if you are going bigger or not.

jimskio
 
Throw it away. This is Texas. Deer are everywhere.

I meant to give you some wood before you left and forgot. Sorry.

I will send you some antler if you want

Enjoying your lathe? I hope so. I miss it. Give it a pet for me.
 
could an ez-out tool work like on a broken bolt?
I've never seen one for 7/64"

Any chance to slide a tube over it and see if it will work lose?
Don't have an 1/8" ID tube, besides, that would make the hole too big.

Is 7/64" the finish size for the hole? If not what size are you going to? If you are going bigger you may be able to use a trick to get out broken pieces of center drills that machinist use. I will try to explain after you answer if you are going bigger or not.
jimskio
Can't really go much bigger, maybe 1/8", but that would be thge max size for the hole

Throw it away. This is Texas. Deer are everywhere.

I meant to give you some wood before you left and forgot. Sorry.

I will send you some antler if you want

Enjoying your lathe? I hope so. I miss it. Give it a pet for me.
Just trying to salvage this piece of antler. It matches perfect with the other two pieces for the project.
Enjoying the VS for pens and finishing. Just got a Stronghold chuck, so I'll be attempting a few bowls i the near future.
As for sending antler, I'm always looking for more antler.
 
I hate to say it but since you're only talking about 7/64" you may be SOL. You might try putting a drop of liquid detergent in the hole then tapping the blank on a block of wood to see if it will back out. If it's not broken off straight a small bladed screwdriver or even an awl inserted into one of the flutes might also work.

An easy out only works if you can drill another smaller hole in the broken drill bit and that ain't gonna happen.
 
I would try a bit extractor. These look like a fork with two tines that extend into the broken off flute spaces of the bit. Twisting the extractor the opposite way loosens the bit and it can then be removed. You might be able to do this with a cheap fork, a pair of curved needle nose pliers might work also....

Hope this helps...
 
Since it's antler, a little heat might release the drill enough to remove it.
Try the tip of a soldering iron on the drill. put 2 small pins or jewelers screwdriver tips in the flutes, go over the both with a clamp or pliers to twist.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I gave up trying to get the broken end out. Searched through my stash of antler and found another piece that would work. I'll finish it up tomorrow and post a picture once it's completed.
 
I know you gave up but just for fun, try putting it in the deep freeze for a while. Metal shrink when cold and may shrink enough to get it out.
 
The best way is to use a carbide EM to mill it out but that won't work in this case.The drill from other end sonds the most reasonable ....hmmmm stumped for the moment.
Brian
CNC Machinist
 
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